670 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [12] 



carp we were very much troubled with a coafervse, but since it has been steadily ou 

 the decrease. This summer it has not yet shown itself on the surface. I imagiue it 

 is in a measure due to the carp feeding on it. 



Enemies. — The pond contains frogs, turtles, and bull-heads. The greatest diffi- 

 culty has been to keep the bull-heads from eating the carp eggs. I found upon watch- 

 ing them that they followed the carp around, and as thoy seemed to be busily eating 

 sonjethiug, I concluded tba» the carp were spawning and the bull-heads eating up 

 their spawn. In order to stop this, I purchased a few feet of wire netting and made a 

 trap like an eel i^ot, and baited it with bread and meat. The result is that I have 

 caught over one thousand of the depredators, thus thinning them out quite percep- 

 tibly. 



Food. — We feed the carp on the waste from the table — such as bread, rice, hominy, 

 oatmeal, and occasional scraps of meat. 



Gkowth. — I should think tlie old ones are 15 inches long and weigh 4 pounds. I 

 have counted 7 of them, and think there are more. 



Repkoduction. — They have produced hundreds of young, which are of all sizes, 

 from 2 to 9 inches in length, weighing from an ounce up to a pound or more. They 

 did not spawn until lute in the summer of 18S1. We now have in the pond three dif- 

 ferent sizes of young carp, nK■a^^uring from 2 to 9 inches in length. It is a curious 

 fact, although we received both scale and leather carp, we have failed to find any 

 pure leather carp among the young. There are pure scale carp in abundance and a 

 plenty of what seems to be a cross between the two, resembling one figured iu the 

 Scientific American some time ago and called " specularis" or mirror car}). They are 

 very handsome. One noticeable feature of these carp is their tameuess during their 

 spawning season. It was an easy matter to observe them. Since that time they 

 have been quite shy, seldom showing themselves. Their manner of spawning seems 

 to mo to b(' rather peculiar. They dart iu among the grass ou the margin of the poud 

 or among the water lilies or cat-tails, turning themselves ou their sides and making 

 a great splashing and commotion. In such times they go in twos and threes. 



52. Statement of Frtderick Fenton, roqitonock, Hartford Co., Conn., July 28, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — The carp which I received iu November, 1880, I 

 put in a pond of 50 acres, 20 feet deep, muddy bottom, and warm water. 



Plants and enemies. — It contains water-lilies, frogs, and turtles. I let the carp 

 seek their own food, and have not seen one since they were placed in the poud. 



53. Statetnent of Henry J. Fenton, Foquonook, Hartford Co., Conn., Jan., 1883. 



Disposition of carp received.— In December, 1880, a few carp, from 2 to 3 

 inches long, wen^ placed in a small pond near a pond in which breeding-trout were 

 kept. The pond is not more than 2 feet deep, and at the bottom there are 2 feet of 

 black mud. 



Plants. — In summer the vegetable growth in the pond is abundant, and the green 

 plant known as frog-spittle is so luxuriant as to cover the entire pond. 



Food.— The carp have never been given any artificial food. 



Growth. — The water was drawn August 19, ISni, and 3 of the carp were captured, 

 the largest of which weighed 33 ounces, the smallest 21 ounces, and the tliird 28 

 ounces. On the same day a carp was taken from an adjoining pond, having been 

 placed there in December, 1881, and found to weigh 11 ounces. While the growth 

 of these carp is not eipuil to that reported from some of the Southern States, yet 2 

 pounds in weight iu 2 years cannot be regarded as a failure, especially when it is 

 considered that they have had no food whatever except what they have found grow- 

 ing in the poud. 



54. Statement of Henry J. Fenton, Poqiionock, Hartford Co., Conn., July 28, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — The carp I received in November, 1880, 1 put in a 

 poud of half an acre, 3 feet deep, muddy bottom, through which flows a good-sized 

 brook during the summer. 



Plants, enemies, and food.— The pond contains lilies and brook trout. The fish 

 seek their own food. 



Growth and reproduction.— I have 5 of the original lot, which weigh about 3 

 pounds each. I have seen some young about 2 inches long, but cannot tell how 

 many. 



DiFFicuLTiKa. — Some of them were troubled with fungus. 



55. Statement of W. A. Stocking, Weatogue, Hartford Co., Conn., Xov. 6, 1883. 



Enemies. — The carp in two of the ponds were probably destroyed by the hawks 

 and turtles. 



